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The Chicago Alumnae and Lambda Chapter members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority are in count-down mode for the inaugural national Empowering Males to Build Opportunities for Developing Independence webcast presented as part of the 50th National Convention on

The Chicago Alumnae and Lambda Chapter members of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority are in count-down mode for the inaugural national Empowering Males to Build Opportunities for Developing Independence webcast presented as part of the 50th National Convention on July 29, at D’Estee, Inc., 4525 S. King Dr. Register at 8 a.m.; the EMBODI webcast and conference runs 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Keynote speaker, via webinar, is Ivory A. Toldson, PhD., from the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation. Mario Van Peebles, actor/director and activist, will also be a part of the national webcast, which is free, open to the public and includes workshops on health, education and finance. EMBODI focuses DST efforts with the support and action of other major organizations on the plight of African American males. Substantial data suggests the vast majority of African American males continue to be in crisis and are not reaching their full potential educationally, socially and emotionally. EMBODI is designed to address these issues through dialogue and recommendations for change and action. Chicago Alumnae Chapter co-chairs, Dana London, Ashley Allen and Reggee McClinton, along with Lambda Chapter chair, Ashley Smith, have planned an afternoon directed toward supporting those efforts throughout Chicagoland. The all-day conference ends with a public service project on the promotion of early childhood literacy. The young men are encouraged to bring a children’s book, in good condition, but not necessarily new, to create an awareness of the importance of literacy as well as facilitating a connection by males with the early childhood population. The books will be donated to child-care centers operated by Chicago City Colleges at Kennedy King, Malcolm X and Truman Colleges. Sunday Special – JoElle Lyons, a medical aesthetician, skin specialist and the current First Esthetician to First Lady Michelle Obama, delivered the commencement address for Dudley Beauty College-Chicago, her alma mater, at Harold Washington Cultural Center. The founder and CEO of JoElle Skin Care whoi is widely referred to as “The Skin Clarifying Queen” by Essence magazine, also provides spa and salon services in the Maryland/D.C. area and has dedicated her life to the pursuit of balanced natural beauty. She combines her methods and expertise into a skin care regimen of premium products and unparallel services to declare SkinCare Beyond Compare. Lyons was also skincare director at Dr. Elton X. Tinsley & Associates in Chicago, whom she trained under. He is a renowned plastic surgeon who specializes in Black skin care, especially the removal of moles on the face and neck. Following her well-received inspirational address, Lyons received a distinguished Honorary Dean of Aesthetics Certification from Betty R. Clawson, DBC-C director; Dr. Eunice M. Dudley, executive director, Dudley Beauty School System; and Ursula Dudley Oglesby, president, Dudley Beauty Corp. LLC. The 2010 commencement, “The Best in Me,” graduated students from Dudley Beauty College as well as from Silk & Classy Barber College, founded by Kenneth Williams. Festival Faces %uFFFD– Super-singer Chaka Khan, who has appeared in concert here in Chicago twice in several months, returns “home” Labor Day Weekend (Sept. 3-6), to perform before thousands at fans at the 2010 Annual African Festival of the Arts (“Creating & Keeping the Culture”) on its final night (Monday) in Washington Park. The 21st annual Fest, presented by African International House, headed by Patrick Woodtar, president, will also feature such popular, non-stop, eclectic crowd-pleasing entertainers as Angelique Kidjo, Tito Jackson, Soweto Street Beat and Javan Jackson with Les McCann. Also on tap: a marketplace (with over 300 artists and vendors), a food court (cuisine from the Diaspora), African drum village, child’s pavilion, wellness pavilion, youth tennis tourney and sooooo much more — something for everyone is guaranteed! “We have implemented new pavilions and enhanced favorites,” says Woodtar. “Our mission is to educate our audiences about Africa, the cradle of civilization, while celebrating her significance and impact on mankind.” Chris Gardner, author of The Pursuit of Happyness, and Kathy Hughes, founder of TV One, will reign over the African Fest as “Grand Baba” and “Grand Yeye.” Gardner hosted a kick-off on the patio of his Trump Tower residence with its awe-inspiring, jaw-dropping view of downtown Chicago. The annual Fest is sponsored by State Farm Insurance, NBC 5, Chicago Defender, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Target, Ill. Dept. of Human Services, National Endowment for the Arts, Ill. Arts Council, South Loop Hotel, AT&T, Chicago Apartment Finders, ICE Theaters, The Urban Health Initiative, Black Enterprise, Being Single, Comcast, Power 92.3FM, V103, WGCI, The Africa Channel, Citizen News and Bronzecomm.com. Fest tickets: $10 in advance, $15 at the gate; family and weekend passes and group rates will be available. Call (773) 955-ARTS (2787). Welcome Smiles %uFFFD%uFFFD– Chris Gardner, second from right, author of The Pursuit of Happyness, who will reign over the 2010 African Festival of the Arts as “The Grand Baba,” Sept. 3-6, in Washington Park, welcomes guests to his Trump Tower residence to kick-off the annual four-day event: Patrick Woodtar, second from left; Africa International House president; and Chicago Defender staffers, Carol Bell, Michael House and Adrienne Jones. Keynoter %uFFFD– Jonathan Jackson, labor, education advocate, national spokesman for Rainbow/PUSH Coalition and second son of “you know who,” delivers the keynote speech at Amalgamated Transit Union Local 241’s annual scholarship awards dinner Saturday at Pheasant Run Resort & Spa in St. Charles. Jackson has labored at the forefront of fending off 2010 Chicago Transit Authority staff and service cuts and spearheaded talks between ATU and the U.S. Dept. of Transportation and state and local elected officials. During the confab, which begins Friday, 10 students will each receive a $1,000 scholarship. Free open-to-the-public workshops include a health fair, first-time homebuyers’ financing, credit repair and personal finance consultations. Labor-relations workshops include Social Security disability benefits, credit repair and grievance arbitration. ATU Local 241, “the voice of workers in the transportation industry,” is the largest local within the ATU in the U.S. with some 11,000 members. Newsy Names – Well, you can’t get much better than Kenny G in concert with Jeffrey Osborne and Stephanie Mills on Aug. 14 at Rosemont Theater to benefit Shriners Hospitals for Children. Tickets: $49.50 – $500. Call (800) 745-3000 … Happy b’day to Renee Ferguson, Alvin Boutte, Debra Meeks, Ald. Leslie Hairston (5th), Ed Cruzat, Larry Green, Ursula Smith, Kenny McReynolds, Lillie Sanders, Deborah Dixon, Hermia Roberts, A.C. McLean and Jasmine Guy.